Mathies and his family have been in this business for more than half a century. He recalls the big ice storm in the mid 90s that cut out power for weeks.

“I couldn’t get deliveries, things weren’t moving, power was out. People had nothing, kerosene lanterns, it was amazing how many kerosene lanterns I sold,” Mathies recalled.

Ahead of Friday's winter freeze Mathies knows what folks will need if it goes dark. “Without power you have to have light and batteries, and you have to have a radio,” he said.

At Nashville Electric Service they're prepared and ready to respond. “We’re much more concerned about freezing rain than we are the sleet or the snow,” spokesman, Jack Baxter said. “All of our lines are built to a standard to withstand three quarters of an inch of ice.”

Anything beyond that may cause the lines to fall. Frozen tree limbs are also a concern but for homeowners and residents a few simple tips, like an emergency kit, could keep you out of serious trouble.

If your power does go out check your breaker to make sure its not just your property, and call and report the outage. NES said if the power does go out crews will begin repairs for the largest outages, as well as hospitals and critical infrastructure first.

If you're looking for something to do without electricity Friday, Hillsboro Hardware may have just what you're looking for, sleds. “I can see in their eye, they’re as excited as the kids are that we can not go to work, we can get out there and play,” Mathies laughed.

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